This invention relates to an apparatus for providing a uniform spacing between articles which are advanced on a conveyor in a randomly spaced series. The apparatus has spacer gates which are adapted to engage each article advanced on the conveyor and which are moved parallel to the conveyor surface codirectionally with the direction of article advance, With a speed that is less than the conveying speed. The spacer gates are movable between an inoperative position in which the articles may be advanced unhindered and a working position in which the articles abut against the spacer gates. The apparatus further includes an actuator for shifting the spacer gates from the inoperative position into the working position.
An apparatus for organizing articles on a conveyor such that a uniform spacing is provided therebetween is needed particularly in the packaging industry to ensure that randomly supplied articles will not cause a crowding or pile-up to thus avoid damage to the articles or other operational disturbances.
German Pat. No. 1,288,509 discloses an apparatus which uniformly spaces articles supplied in a random spacing on a conveyor. For this purpose, above a conveyor belt spacer gates are arranged which are shiftable between inoperative (idling) and working positions. In the idling position the spacer gates clear the articles without contacting the same, while in the working position they extend into the travelling path of the articles. If the conveying speed of the articles on the conveyor belt is greater than that of the spacer gates, the articles abut the spacer gates if the latter are in their working position and thus assume the same spacing as the spacer gates. It is of importance that the articles are monitored and each time when an article abuts the respective leading spacer gate, the successive spacer gate is brought into the working position. Externally of the conveyor zone all spacer gates must be brought into their idling position.
For moving the spacer gates into their working position, the frictional force between each article and the conveyor belt is utilized, as the articles, because of their higher speed, abut against the respective spacer gates. As a result, the abutted spacer gate executes a pivotal motion which causes a pawl to be rotated to thus release a ratchet which holds the successive spacer gates. The latter then drops into the working position by its own weight. Conversely, pusher rods and the pawls are guided on a rail for moving, partially by gravity, the spacer gates, the push rod and the pawls into the idling position. The frictional force between the articles and the conveyor belt, however, may be utilized for the above purpose only if the artices are relatively heavy. Lightweight articles, articles of different sizes or of non-uniform weight may not be uniformly spaced with such a prior art arrangement. Further, the utilization of gravity as a moving force results in a sluggish switching into the working position; this limits the output of the apparatus.